Buckle.



W. M. WARD.

BUCKLE APPLICATION TILED MAR. 10, 1010,

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

awue nto'o fK/M%r n s an PTENT anon.

WILLIAM M. WARD, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Application filed March 19, 1910. Serial No. 550,469.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Buckle; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention pertains to a new and useful buckle designed primarily for use in connection with harness and the like; butessentially the buckle will be applied to the trace, which will effect results that have not heretofore been attained. The elimination of the tongue and the apertures in the strap or trace, it will be noted, is the primary feature of the invention. In lieu of the tongue and the said apertures, the strap or trace is folded upon itself and inserted in a casting, and through a metal loop in such wise as to be secured in such position by a partially rotatable serrated member (which is provided with a projection). This projection extends part the length of the casting and is positioned under the metallic loop, whereby the partially rotatable serrated member may be securely locked in position. a

The invention involves another feature which consists in novel means of mounting the rotatable serrated member, and a novel structure for allowing the ready removal of said member.

The invention contemplates a further structure, consisting of shoulders upon the casting, with which the metallic'loop engages and is guided thereby, there being suitable lateral projections on the loop to engage the sides of the casting to prevent an upward movement thereof.

The drawings display a special form of buckle, but the applicant in no way restricts himself to the particular structure thereof. He reserves the right to make changes and alterations, if such become necessary, during a reduction to practice, provided that such changes and alterations fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Further features and parts will be hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a buckle, shown as applied to a strap'or trace, showing the manner of looking the partially rotatable member securely in position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the buckle and the strap or trace, in order to illustrate the position of the strap or trace with regard to the other detailed structures of the device. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the casting, through which the strap or, trace extends, and in which the partially rotatable memher is mounted. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the partially rotatable member,

looking slightly under the same, in order to illustrate the serrations. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5'5 of Fig. 2, showing the manner of mounting the parts of the rotatable member. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a buckle as applied to a strap or trace, illustrating slight modifications in the detailed structure of the device.

Relative to the drawing, 1 represents the casting of the bucklc,which comprises the side portions 2, and the base or bottom plate 3,which parts are madeintegral. This bottom or base 3 at one end of the casting is curved slightly outward and upwardly, as shown at l. The side portions 2 of the casting, at one end thereof, are spread farthcr apart than at the other end, and extending across the casting from one side portion to the other at these ends is a pin or rod 5. The side portions 2 on their inner adjacent faces are cut-away, as shown, in order to form shoulders 6, in close position to the pin or rod 5. Between these shoulders and the pin or rod 5, a metallic loop 7 is inserted, there being suitable pro ections 8 extending laterally from the loop, on each side thereof, in or er to engage the lower portion of'the casting to prevent its upward movement. This metalllc loop is slightly curved on the arc of a circle, so that when the loop is forced or pushed upward, its portion 9 will be ralsed considerably above the casting. This is for the purpose of allowing the strap or trace 10, when folded or bent upon itself, as at 11, to be readily inserted below this portion 9, when applying the buckle to the strap or trace; for instance, after the strap or trace has been inserted beneath the partially rotatable serrated member 12.

The partially rotatable member is eccentrically mounted upon the pin 12, thereby affording a cam member; the serrations or teeth 13 upon this rotatable member or cam are adapted to engage the strap or trace, so

as to clench or clamp the same against the base or-bottom plate 3. This partially ro tatable member or cam is provided with an extension arm or lever 14, whereby the rotatable member .or cam maybe easily and quickly operated, in order to release the strap or trace. This projection or lever 14: performs an additional function, namely,

,when thrown down adjacent the strap or rotatable member, its pin is inserted into the elongated guides l5 of the side portions '2,

' after which the member is moved forward of the casting, until the same assumes the position seen in Flg. 1. The partially rotatable member may be moved in the opposite direction, to readily remove it when it is desired.

When the partially rotatable member is in the position shown in'Fig. 1, its pin engages the recesses 16 of theside portions2 and contacts with the shoulders 17 of the said recesses.

' In Fig. 6, the metallic loop is provided With a screw 18, which extends transversely of the metallic loop and'is threaded into the 4 side 19 thereof. The under portion or face of the upper portin of the metallic loop is provided with a recess 20 to receive the extension or lever of the partially rotatable member.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. In a buckle, a casting comprising side portions having elongated open ended guides, each guide terminating at one end in an upwardly directed recess, a pin or rod extending between the side portions at one end thereof, said ortions having shoulders, in combination with a metallic loop inserted intermediate of the shoulders and the pin or rod adapted to receive a strap, the shoulders and the pin constituting means for guiding the loop in position, a serrated cam member to engage the strap having a rearwardly extending tongue to engage under the upper portion of the loop to lock the member in position, the lower end of the loop whenforced upwardly and outwardly causing the upper end of the loop to bind closely in con tact withthe tongue of the cam member, the

- cam member having a pin extending through it and having its ends positioned in the upwardly directed recesses of the guides, the cam member being removable when unlocked with regard to the loop by allowing the ends of the pin penetrating the cam member to move in the guides until they reach the open ends of the guides.

2'. In a buckle, a casting comprising side portions having elongated open guides, each guide at one end terminating in an upwardly direct-ed recess, a pin or rod extending between the side portions at one end thereof, said portions having shoulders, in combination with metallic loop inserted intermediate of the shoulders and the pin or rod adapted to receive the strap, the shoulders and the pin constituting means for guiding the loop in position, a serrated cam member to engage the strap having a lever with its end engaged under the upper portion of the loop to lock the member in position, the upper portion of the loop having a recess to receive the end of the lever, the lower end of the loop when forced upwardly and outwardly causing the recessed upper end of the loop to bind closely in contact with the lever, the cam member having a pin extending through it and having its ends positioned in the upwardly directed recesses of the guides, the cam member beingremovable when unlocked with regard to the loop by allowing the ends of the pin penetrating the cam member to move in the guides until they reach the open ends of the guides.

3. A buckle comprising a casting U-shaped in cross section, the sides of which are provided with guides, each open at one end, each guide at the other end having upwardly extending recesses, a cam member having a pin passing eccentrically therethrough engaging said recesses, said cam havmg serrations to engage a strap holding the same against the base of the casting, one end of the casting having the base cut away, a pin connecting the sides of. the casting where the base is cut away, a metallic loop through whichsaid strap extends, and a tongue forming an integral part of the cam member engaging under one end of the metallic loop, the metallic loop constituting means to hold the tongue down and the member in said recesses, while the tongue constitutes means to relieve pressure of the metallic loop upon the strap.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses' WILLIAM M. WARD. I Witnesses:

pin of the cam 

